What To Keep In Mind When Buying Army Approved Combat Boots?

If you’re going to spend your well earned money on a good pair of army approved combat boots, then you’ll want to make sure that they are, in fact, army approved. Your hard earned money needs to be spent on nothing but the best and if you’re going to walk into any ole’ store and take the sales clerk’s word for it when he tells you the boots you want are army approved, then you’re setting yourself up for a disappointment.

However, if you simply take the time to read this article and learn more about what constitutes an army approved boot, then you are much more likely to buy a good pair that will last you a long time. You will have to make sure that your boots are AR 670-1 compliant, because that’s the military’s official guidelines for military personnel footwear.

Lightweight

It is essential that you make sure that your boots are very lightweight. If you are going to wear these boots for a longer time, without getting fatigued, then you better make sure you’re not feeling like you are carrying a huge brick on each foot when you are out in the field, being deployed in dangerous situations and whatnot.

A lightweight design goes a long way in making you feel comfortable and like you are able to keep up with your fellow soldier boys. Heck… you might even get the feeling that you’re actually getting an edge.

Color

For army approved boots, you are going to need a boot that is (similar to) coyote tan. And keep in mind that the the toe part’s color must match the color of the upper segment of your combat boot. This is especially important for soldiers who are officially enlisted and on active duty. If you’ve got camouflage on there, then you will find that this is going to help you out a great deal when you’re out in the field.

The army doesn’t leave a whole lotta room for fashion and style. If you’re dead serious about getting a good pair of tactical boots, then you’ll have to prioritize function over fashion. Most tough guys don’t really mind anyway, I think.

Height

The height of any AR 670-1 army compliant boot, must be higher than 8″. Up to 10″ is also good. The army has determined that this is the ideal height for a boot to have, especially if the boot is worn by soldiers who are deployed behind enemy lines and must do everything they can to stay alive in dangerous combat situations. It helps when you’ve got a boot that doesn’t slip off easily. High boots have a lot of friction against your ankles and lower legs. You can’t possibly lose them.

Sole

When it comes to army compliant military boots, the height of the sole may never go above 2″. This is measured from the bottom, mind you. The sole must also not extend to the back of the heel or the front of the toe. It has to be made from polyurethane or rubber. Both of these sturdy materials are going to last you a long time and will give you lots of traction on just about every surface. This is very important for a soldier who is serving his country in active duty.

Reviews

Why learn from your own mistakes, when you can so easily learn from other people’s mistakes? Plenty of customers have gone before you, so take a few minutes to read up on what they have to say about the boots you are looking at. You’ll be surprised about what you can learn from other people’s experiences with a product.

Oftentimes, reviewers will reveal flaws that you’d never even thought of. Sometimes, they also point out advantageous features you never even knew existed. So read those reviews. You’ll never know what you’re gonna learn.

Inpspection

Just because a boot is technically speaking completely AR 670-1 compliant, it doesn’t mean that it’s in good condition. You see, the AR 670-1 guide doesn’t say anything about the level of wear & tear that a combat boot may have. So feel free to check a boot over for cracks and other flaws or imperfections.

By picking up the scent of the boots, you can learn whether or not it’s real leather, or it’s some cheap knock off material, such as synthetics. Go ahead and insert your hand into the boots to see if the linings are well stuck to the rest of the shoe. You don’t want to find any bubbles in there, or other imperfections that will make you uncomfortable while wearing the boots. Also make sure to check both boots to see if they are the same sizes.

Conclusion

All the above are some of the things that you need to look at when buying an army approved, AR 670-1 compliant boot. The list is by no means exhaustive. Study up as much as you can. You might even want to read the official AR 670-1 specifications. Make the most informed choice you can make, and you’ll stand the best chance of buying an excellent pair of combat boots, that will carry you comfortable and last you for ages!

This page was authored by Brian Bradshaw, who represents the Boot Bomb. Brian is backed up by an expert team, made up of experienced family and friends, all of which are knowledgeable in the ways of footwear and/or hiking. His ancestors used to own a shoe store for almost a century. He has lived and breathed footwear for as long as he can remember.

This page was last updated on August 1, 2019.

2 Comments

Thanks very much for your good info. I am looking for buyers. Can you introduce where to find army boot buyers all over the world? Any contact info. will be highly appreciated. Patrick SW Park in shoe factory of Vietnam

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Hi, I'm Brian Bradshaw and I'm all about the hiking life. Welcome to the Boot Bomb, where I write about my favorite footwear & outdoor gear to my heart's content!

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